Prevalence of mortality associated with amphetamine use in motorcyclists: A meta-analysis

Background: Methamphetamine (METH) is one of the most popular drugs used by drivers. Recent research has indicated an increase in the utilization of amphetamine-type stimulants over the past 15 years.Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of amphetamine use among fatally injured motorcyclists in the world.Methods: All available databases including PubMed, Scopus, Wos, Google Scholar, Magiran, and SID were searched to locate published studies up to the year 2023. Heterogeneity among the studies was tested by Q-Cochran with a significant level below 0.1. The researcher assessed the Index of changes ascribed to heterogeneity (I2). Due to the heterogeneity of studies, the random-effects model was applied to integrate the results of the studies, and a 95% CI was reported. Meta-analysis in STATA 14SE was used to perform statistical analyses. Results: Out of a total of 222 articles that met the inclusion criteria, seven studies were examined and analyzed. The prevalence of amphetamine uses among motorcyclists who have been fatally injured was %14 (95%CI = 0.08-0.20) in the world. This result demonstrates that almost no study has documented mortality associated with amphetamine use among motorcyclists in developing countries.Conclusion: Early-stage recognition and identification of motorcyclists who use amphetamines and other drugs is necessary. Furthermore, the development of educational campaigns to promote knowledge specific to that particular population is imperative. To reduce the possibility of relapsing and improve traffic safety, motorcyclists who experience difficulties resulting from amphetamine use must participate in specialized programs, treatment, psychological counseling, and rehabilitation.